Wire-screen-stretching device



F. A. STICKLE. WIRE SCREEN STRETCHING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1919.

1,395,61 3. Patented Nov. 1, 1921 3 MM Afiomags UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. STICKLE, CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE LUNKEN WINDOW COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

Application filed March 17, 1919.

To all whomc't may concern: I

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. STICKLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVire-Screen-Stretching Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of screens, so far as concerns the mounting of wire gauze or screen wire on previously completed frames, by soldering.

I have found that the great difliculty in the manufacture of Wire screens for windows and the like, by the method of first making up a metallic frame and then soldering the wire thereto, lies in the difficulty of stretching the wire so tightly thereon that no waves are left in the wire fabric after it is mounted, this being in part due to expansion and contraction of :parts under the heat of soldering.

It is the object of my invention to provide. a device whereon and whereby a proper stretching may be accomplished, and in addition where the screen frame itself may be slightly altered in shape during the soldering so that when the screen is removed, the reaction tendency of the frame toward its normal or original shape will effectually stretch out all chance waviness in the fabric.

These objects I accomplish by that certain constructionrtand arrangement of parts and modeof operation to be hereinafter more specifically pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vice. Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross-section therethrough.

The screen, shown as being wired on my device, iscomposed for purposes of illustration of a rectangular metal frame 1, having the frame members made up of fiat iron or steel bars. This frame seats on the bed 3, suitably supported on the table 4:. If the screen frame had another shape, or the cross-section of the bars of the frame was not rectangular, the bed would have to be modified, so as to support the surface of the frame to which the wire was to be sol- Specification of Letters Patent.

perspective view ofthe de- WIRE-SCREEN-STRETGHING DEVICE.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921. Serial No. 283,173.

dered in a lane arallel or a roximatel Y parallel, to the he d. pp l Preferably along two adjacent sides only of the bed, are mounted bars 5 having interspaced slots 6 therein. These slots 6 each carry a revoluble pulley 7 between their walls, over which pulleys ride the cables or wires 8 of the weights 9.

On the end of the wires 8 over the bed of the table are secured the claws 10, which are provided with sets of depending pins on their under surface to engage in the mesh of the wire gauze used with the screen.

Each claw has a handle 11, by which it is manipulated. The number of weights, cords and claws will be determined by the size of the screen which is to be wired, and the showing in the drawing so far as numbers are concerned, is merely illustrative.

The parts above noted are proportioned so as to tend to stretch thewire gauze used across the screen frame in a plane substantially parallel thereto, the claws being set to pull the wire slightly down around the edges of the frame.

In the device illustrated, the bed has a central raised portion 12 which is of the size of the screen to be wired, and set just outside this raised portion, along the sides thereof adjacent to the claw devices, are pins 13 and 14. The pins 14 are the central pins in the series, and are made slightly larger than the remaining pins, or else the other pins are set slightly farther back from the portion 12 than the pins 14. I have found that a sixteenth of an inch will be sufficient for the lead of the pins 141 over the pins 13.

With the device constructed as above, or substantially so, the operation is as follows: The screen frame is first formed up with the frame members thereof slightly bowed outwardly of the frame, so that the advanced or large pins will contact with the center of the bow. The frame, after suitable treatment of its surface, is set on the raised portion of the bed, bearing against the pins 14l at the center of its sides. The wire screening 15 is then set over the screen and smoothed down by hand. Beginning at the corner A, away from the weighted claws, the operator tacks the wire down by soldering, hooks on a weight at corner B, and then solders the wire down weights.

along theframe of the screen, running from along one of the remaining sides. He then solders this remaining side and lets the screen cool and set, after WlllQll he com- 1 pletes the fourth side first han in the The action of the weighted claws is such as to pull the screen frame awayffrom the sides AB and AC, and slightly bendin the sides of theframe at the point of engagement of the pins 14,-which force and bending is regulated to bring the frame member straight. It also stretches the wire tightly and smoothly over the frame and holds the frame securely down against the bed. The operator by permitting the screen to set before soldering the fourth side of the wire to the frame, permits the screen wire to be drawn and smooth after the shrinkage on three sides is allowed for.-

Upon removing the frame, the straight sides caused by the pulling of the weights against the pins 14 and removing of the original how will tend to bow outwardly and give an additional stretch to the wire, which I have found very valuable in insur ing a perfect job. 7

As before stated, the conformation of the parts and the number of claws and abutment pins are merely the ones selected by me-as illustrative of my invention and best adapted for use with plain fiat rectangular frames;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is r 1. A device of the character specified, comprising a supporting means for screen frames, and a plurality of, members to engage the screen wire mounted on the support located on two sides, at least, of the frame, and means to automatically movev sa d members to exert a stretchlng strain on the wire in two directions.

2. A device of the character specified,

comprising a supporting means for screen frames," and a plurality of members to engage the screen wire mounted on the sup- 8. A device of the character specified,

comprising a supporting means for screen 7 frames, and a plurality of members to engage the screen wire mounted on thesupport, said members comprising plates having depending pins thereon to engage in the meshes ofsaid' wire, said plates being lo cated along two sides, at least, of the frame.

4. A device of'the character specified, comprising a supporting means for screen frames, and'a plurality of members to engage the screen wire mounted on the support, said members comprising plates havingdepending pins thereon to engage in, the meshes of said wire, and being provided with cords, pulleys located to receive'the cords at a position at or above the level of the frame, and weights on. the cords, for the purpose d6SGIllOCl.

5. A device of the character specified,

comprising means for engaging and pulling screenwire over screen'frames. after. said wire has been secured to a portion of: the frame, and means for engaging thefrarnes during the pulling over adapted to bend them slightly, for thepurpose described.

6. A device for stretching wire on metal screens for soldering, comprising means for engaging and pulling the screen wire over the. frames, ab'utments' against. which the screen frames rest, said abutments being shaped and positioned to slightly bend the frames under the strain from the wire pulling means. y V A 7. A device for stretching wire on metal screens, comprising a support for the frames, members to engage and stretch the wire along two sides of the'support, and abutments for the frames adjacent the said sides,

the frame members slightly in advance of the remainder, for the purpose described. Q

8. A device for stretching wire on metal screens, comprising a supportfor the frames,

,ofthe frame members slightly in advance of the remainder, said engagingand stretching members comprising toothed'plates to engagefin'the meshes of the wire, cor'dson the plates, and weightson the cords depend' ing from the support, for the purpose'de scribed. I v FREDERICK A; STIQKLE.

arranged to engage the central portions of 

